How to Choose a Weapon for Your Barbarian in Diablo 4
As a Barbarian in Diablo 4, choosing the right weapon is crucial to your character’s success. With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to decide on the perfect fit. In this article, we will guide you through the process of selecting the best weapon for your Barbarian, considering factors such as damage output, range, and playstyle.
Understanding the Types of Weapons
Before we dive into the specifics, let’s start by understanding the different types of weapons available to Barbarians in Diablo 4.
- One-HandedWeapons: These weapons are most effective in close combat and offer increased attack speed but lower damage output.
- Axes: Dealt blunt force damage with a focus on crowd control.
- Swords: Balanced between attack speed and damage output.
- Two-Handed Weapons: These weapons have increased damage output but sacrifice attack speed and range.
- Mallets: Dealt brutal force damage with a focus on smashing enemies.
- War Hammers: Offer a balance of damage output and crowd control.
- Throwables: These weapons are unique in that they can be thrown and allow for area-of-effect damage.
- Throwing Weapons: Offer high damage output at the cost of having to re-load.
- Shields: Though not directly used for offense, shields provide a versatile tool for defensive play and can also deal damage to enemies.
Choosing Based on Playstyle
A crucial aspect of choosing the right weapon is considering your playstyle. Think about how you like to engage with enemies:
- Do you prefer close-quarters combat, where speed and flexibility are essential? One-Handed Weapons, especially axes or swords, might be the way to go.
- Do you like to control crowds of enemies, dealing area damage and slowing them down? Throwables such as throwing axes or potions could be your best choice.
- Do you wish to focus on raw destructive power, dealing massive chunks of damage? Two-Handed Weapons like mallets or war hammers might appeal to you.
Weighting Factors
When assessing the viability of a particular weapon, consider the following factors:
- DPS (Damage Per Second): How much damage can the weapon deal consistently?
- Range and Area of Effect: Do you prefer close-range encounters or dealing damage to crowds?
- Attack Speed: Faster attack speed lets you attack more frequently but may result in less accuracy.
- Cooldown Between Attacks: Weapons with slow cooldowns may not get used as often as their faster counterparts.
- Crowd Control: What effects can the weapon has on enemy movement and capabilities?
- Mana Pool: How much mana the weapon consumes and whether there’s a limit to reuse.
- Cost-Effectiveness: The in-game value of the item compared to other alternatives
A Look at Exceptional Weapons
Exceptional weapons, marked by having an Exception suffix, are handcrafted and highly sought-after for their superior stats compared to their non-unique counterparts.
- Warlord’s Fists: +30% Attack Speed, +25% Critical Strike Chance*
- These fists provide extreme attack speed, making short work of enemies, accompanied by a higher chance for critical strikes.
- Deathbringer: +50% Critical Strike Multiplier, +35% Critical Strike Chance, +15% Dexterity
- Deal devastating critical strikes, then further increase damage with their additional Dexterity.
- Tainted Emberwood Waraxe: +15% Chance to cause on Hit Blaze, 1 second cooldown
- The chance to start a burning effect on foes increases as you continue hitting them, creating an enduring effect.
Comparison Matrix
| Weapon Class | Damage DPS | Range/Aoe | Attack Speed | Cooldown Between Attacks | Cooldown | Crowd Control | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One-Handed | Medium | Melee | Fast | Low/No | N/A | Basic | Low |
| Two-Handed | High | Melee | Slow | Medium/Short | Short | Basic/Heavy | High |
| Throwables | High | Ranged/Limited | Varies | Varies | Short/Lengthy | Area/AO | High/Medium |
Conclusion
Choosing a weapon for your Barbarian in Diablo 4 revolves around understanding the various weapons available, considering your preferred playstyle, and accounting for key factors like DPS, range, attack speed, and crowd control. Keep in mind the role each weapon plays in shaping your overall build and approach. As you delve further into the world of Diablo 4, experiment and adjust your weapon choices as needed to create the perfectly balanced build that suits you.
